Contrary to other works on ethnology Ilmar Talve’s book Finnish Folk Culture published in 1979 deals not only with traditional peasant culture but also with early urban culture, industrialization, and modernization of the society. Ilmar Talve gives here a review of the research work carried out in several disciplines and mentions many unpublished theses. The revised, completed and updated print of the book was published in 1990 and the English version presented here is an abridged version of it.